rich boy gone bad

" of all things in my existence, to not be remembered is my only fear " park hyukjae. 24. mzsd's chaos manager.

[lgchyuk]

“please emi”, hyuk rolled his eyes, as if her words were so absurd, he couldn’t keep up with them - maybe he was right, because they were exactly that, outrageous. “i do know you, i’ve dated for like...you know, some time!”, truth is hyuk didn’t remember exactly when their friendship lines blurred to dating and then went back to friendship, but it was enough for him to know some of her traits, for them to have a good relationship, even after they distanced from each other naturally.

reaching a common place, like picking a comedy movie, hyuk felt more comfortable. with all halloween parties and friends always shoving horror stuff around and in front of him, he was a little used to that, but if he could pick something else, he would, in a heartbeat. “how about this freakier friday? someone was talking about it during practice the other day”, he took a sip of his milkshake, finding the movie, as he turned to emi, “this way we can talk as we watch it, no pressure to pay that much attention to the movie.”

[lgcxmimi]

she tries not to let the smirk get the best of her. she swears she's seen that eye roll more than she can count especially when they were together. not that she can blame him really-- if the roles were reversed, she thinks the same thing would have been her response-- and maybe, just maybe that had been their downfall. could she really say it was a fall though? they were friends, still, and really, she trusted him with anything, even her life.

she didn't mind the comedy, and it had been a while since she had laughed hadn't been doomscrolling on her phone. so it was a nice bit of a change of pace, and she moves to agree with him, nodding. "oh i heard that's really good, too." she admitted, humming as she steals a bite. "oh that sounds perfect. gives me an opportunity to pick your brain.

[lgchyuk]

“or maybe i’ll pick yours. i’ve been meaning to ask you a couple of things. things i noticed a while ago.”

his tone sounded almost mysterious, and hyuk wanted to keep things that way for a moment, as he took a sip of his beverage and then started their movie.

he knew what he had heard was all corridor gossip, and it was for that exact reason he didn’t pay more attention to it. but as things rolled, his curiosity got the best of him, poked him in the wrong way, and he wanted - or needed - to know.

hyuk knew he would be acting out of pettiness and that it could ruin their nice friendship, plus it wouldn’t change the course of things or how they were in the present, but he just needed to know; it didn’t matter.

or maybe it did, but, again, it wouldn’t change anything

“you used to be friends with parker, weren’t you?”

[lgchyuk]

📂mzsd 007 these days, 206 words

although hyukjae was informed he’d have some budget to spend for his character’s bedroom decoration, he opted for something different. he was really into performing this person, someone with a completely different background from his real version, so he wanted to make things as real as possible.

the first thing he found was a place where people would sell unique items for a lower price because they were either damaged goods or broken. he got a nice fluffy green rug that reminded him of his parents’ farm. almost everything he bought was supposed to remind him of his family and his hometown, from the colors he picked for the walls (some pastel orange, very similar to the sunsets and light blue) to the strawberry seedling that was the highlight of his nightstand beside his bed. 

books and journals were another picks from hyuk, since his character loved journaling and writing lyrics for songs he could swear would be used one day in the future when the band was successful enough. the guitar beside his bed was a gift from his parents for his latest birthday, and even if they didn’t know much about music, they tried their best. 

and it’s one of hyuk’s most prized possessions.

[lgchyuk]

📂mzsd 007 emzi solo, 363 words

from nonsan to seoul.

it would take almost two hours to travel from one city to another, but for hyukjae it would take years, because 1) he wasn’t wealthy enough to take a train or the bus to go there, 2) his dreams were so big he never dared to speak about them out loud, and 3) why dream if they won’t get you anywhere?

he grew up in a strawberry farm, and his parents always taught him to be a good, obedient boy, and that their whole life was comfortable enough as it was that way. they weren’t bad people, but they were used to the lives they were living; but not hyuk - he wanted more and “blamed” the tv and the idols performing in front of him every day.

he was 18 when the current year’s strawberry festival took place in nonsan and his parents made a huge deal when selling their production to a couple of seoul pastries. hyuk was responsible for driving to the big city one day with two of his friends to deliver the products, and, after their duty was done, they decided to enjoy the city a little bit.

that’s how he decided he wanted more, that he wanted to be brave enough to try to follow his dream of becoming a singer. 

surprisingly, his parents were supportive of his dreams, only warning him that he was free to return whenever he felt like it, and if he wasn’t happy. hyukjae was their only son and they wanted to see him happy; they knew staying in nonsan, dealing with a strawberry farm, wasn’t his future - he was meant to be something else.

even if money was short, his hardworking self combined with his positive and outgoing personality led him to find a part-time job as a barista at one of the pastries/cafes his family provided the strawberries once, and with that money he managed to find a place to stay, after reading an ad. it was just his luck the other two people who shared the place with him also shared a passion for music, and they became real good friends with the same dream.

[lgchyuk]

money couldn't buy that, wc: 224

old hyukjae would just call his butler and ask him to bring whatever he wanted to eat, or even better, he would make a call to his father's excellent chef at the hotel, and request something that tasted like home, and was still fancy. old hyukjae would love to get people's jealous stares, and how his status as a nepobaby was just something he didn't mind denying.

present hyukjae is different, he wants to be recognized for himself, wants to be seen more by his traits and skills, than for what his money could buy. Of course he wasn't a hypocrite who would say money didn't take you to good places or saved your ass from disastrous situations, but there was another level of things money couldn't buy.

having fans calling his name and being happy that he could sign an autograph, or finishing a performance and hearing people clapping and cheering, validating his hard work, and not just because they wanted to get close to him for his status as a rich kid, those things sometimes were worth all the trouble, every sleepless night, and every time his throat would complain that he was practicing too hard.

It was all worth it.

And money couldn't buy the feeling he felt when he rested his head on the pillow after a long, excruciating schedule.

[lgchyuk]

a dance is a dance, solo 292 words

“so, you really are small-minded, i see.”

hyuk’s voice sounded like a snarl, as he watched some male trainees practicing - or rather arguing about a task given to them by the coaches. he couldn’t really believe in what he was listening to (or eavesdropping), because damn it was 2026 and people were still having those medieval thoughts.

“oh, so you’re saying you’d be okay with dancing those kind of dances?”, a trainee dared to argue back, and hyuk smirked, as if that was the clue he needed to hop in and give those guys some things to think about.

“okay?” he entered the practice room, and liked how some of the trainees showed him respect, at least, since he was now an idol; they owed him that. “i’d love to. this is such a funny thing to do. dance is a dance, there’s no such thing as male dance and female dance, there’s only dance and you should be able to respect all of them, no matter what. now tell me which song you were given.”

the song started to play and hyuk smiled, because he had been playfully dancing that song with jasper a couple of weeks ago, so it was just a perfect time for him to start showing those trainees they had nothing to worry about.

he danced to the full song, of course there were parts he wasn’t sure of the steps, but most of it was fairly covered, and when the music stopped, he was sweating a bit.

“i don’t feel less of a man because i just danced that. but you”, and he pointed to the guys who were complaining, “you just look like a bunch of fools. you won’t get to debut with this mentality.”

[lgchyuk]

“as if you didn’t like old men”, hyuk stuck out his tongue in a teasing way and laughed, as he sat beside emi, getting comfortable when he took off his shoes and crossed his legs, butterfly style.

it was nice to get comfortable with someone he was familiar with, even if things looked a little rough between them, at least that was hyuk’s perspective. he wanted to ask her about a few things, but wasn’t sure if that would be a good moment, maybe later, or if things took a different route than two exes hanging out.

“you must really hate me if you wanna pick the horror movie or drama”, he sighed, making a disgusted face. “you know i hate those, but go ahead, you’ll probably hear me screaming. please. no videos. i have a reputation to keep.” he snickered.

[lgcxmimi]

"aishhhh you think you know me, eh?" she's offering, a brow raise following as she tries to sound snarky, but it doesn't quite land that way-- she's in too good of a mood and besides, it felt nice to be so-- light. it had been a while. all work and no play made emi a very dull girl, and really... well. there was something familiar in hyuk. sometimes that was what she needed.

she slips off her shoes as well, offering a hand through her blonde strands, moving to look over him with a smirk as she offers a wink after that, too. "i'm kidding." she retorts, sticking her tongue out, before she's humming in thought. "let's what something funny. you can pick. i'm in a good mood, so you can have the privilege."

[lgchyuk]

“please emi”, hyuk rolled his eyes, as if her words were so absurd, he couldn’t keep up with them - maybe he was right, because they were exactly that, outrageous. “i do know you, i’ve dated for like...you know, some time!”, truth is hyuk didn’t remember exactly when their friendship lines blurred to dating and then went back to friendship, but it was enough for him to know some of her traits, for them to have a good relationship, even after they distanced from each other naturally.

reaching a common place, like picking a comedy movie, hyuk felt more comfortable. with all halloween parties and friends always shoving horror stuff around and in front of him, he was a little used to that, but if he could pick something else, he would, in a heartbeat. “how about this freakier friday? someone was talking about it during practice the other day”, he took a sip of his milkshake, finding the movie, as he turned to emi, “this way we can talk as we watch it, no pressure to pay that much attention to the movie.”

[lgcxjasper]

"aish.... you--" the way he speaks is low, not necessarily out of embarrassment, but he can feel the way his ears are turning a familiar shade of red anyway. the nudge that accompanies him is light, airy, and familiar, and suddenly, it doesn't feel like they're adults really, anymore. it still feels like they are young, in london, discovering things together. so much time had passed and he thinks one thing he appreciates, out of many, with hyuk, is the familiarity he give him. something akin to home that he always reaches for.

the next words says jasper knows he's serious, at least halfway, but his comment makes his head tilt back, sharp teeth showing, shaking his head as he tries to be serious about it all. "you brought it up! i wasn't even thinking about that-- how kinky are you??" he offers, but there is still a lightness to his tone, something he doesn't think he's shown in a while.

he nods after a while, nudging him again. "i promise. i'll scold you like i would anyone else-- with care, but seriousness. and if you do mess up you won't have to just answer to me... but the rest of the team. that makes sense right?"

[lgchyuk]

the first thing hyuk noticed was jasper’s red ears, which brought his carefree and laid back laughter and words rolling off his mouth laced with teasing, “look who’s shy now…you were thinking of obscene things, leader-nin!”. hyuk would never be that intimate with someone if they hadn’t had a past, so he knew jasper wouldn’t consider that crossing a line. “i’m just teasing you, breaking the ice.”

there was a moment of silence after some time, when he noticed that, despite their light conversation, there was still some seriousness around it, because it was all new territory for them, their careers were at stake, and he didn’t want to jeopardize that.

“i know”, he shook their hands, a more normal, faint smile covering his lips. “it makes sense, we should all take care of each other in the end. producers, managers, and every staff member are important, but they don’t know what we’ve all been through. so if we can’t trust each other, then all of this doesn’t mean a thing.”

hyuk leaned closer, not caring about their hierarchy between him and jasper and kissed his forehead, softly, “thanks for making this less heavy, jas”

[lgchyuk]

she must have been sitting there for a long time, if she’s able to learn names and faces that fast, hyuk wondered as he heard eunhye’s words. but then again, she was an idol, and there were probably tricks they learned to memorize stuff that fast - just look at them learning so many steps and lyrics all at once in a short amount of time. 

“certainly good for the eyes, you’re right”, he glanced briefly from her to the shirtless view of a guy who clearly tried to impress a female character, who looked like she wanted nothing more than just be somewhere else; hyuk smirked at the sight. “but i feel we, as in korea, are still afraid to spice things up some more.” he shrugged, turning his attention to the idol beside him.

it was inevitable for hyuk to act that way, to taunt people, or tease them, to get a more realistic answer, other than the protocol industry reply, one they’re sure to give to the world. it always sounded fake in his ears, and even if he knew they should sometimes keep their opinion to themselves, it always left a bitter taste in his lips.

“i do like reality tv, but i think for example, producers could leave the door open if a guy wanted to court another one, or if a lady wanted to do the same to another girl. it’d be interesting, don’t you think?”

[lgceunhye]

eunhye’s interest grew as she heard his response. while she had an inkling as to where the conversation could go, she decided to let him explain further before expressing her own opinions. “it would be interesting,” she began, soon recalling something she had seen on the internet in passing. even though she hadn’t watched the full show, one scene had caught her attention. “and i believe it’s done before, too.” 

“i think there was a dating show about…three or four years ago? it was one of these dating programs, and both the viewers and the panel were surprised when one of the contestants declared their feelings to someone of the same gender.” she let out a small hum, eyes drifting back to the screen. “it didn’t seem planned either, which is probably why it stood out.”

she paused before speaking again, more carefully this time. “i don’t think people are as opposed to it as they used to be,” she added while crossing her arms. “perhaps it’s less about being afraid and more about how it’s presented. if it feels genuine, i think audiences would accept it.” she turned slightly toward him, a faint smile forming. “but you’re right,” she agreed, pausing as she chose her next words. “producers don’t usually take that risk unless they’re sure it won’t backfire. it’s still television, after all.”

[lgchyuk]

hyuk smiled as eunhye explained her points and educated him on the latest tv shows. he knew better when to speak his mind some more, because he didn’t want to be judged or criticized for his thoughts, especially now that he was a public figure.

“i think some people in the industry would go crazy if different people tried to write those shows. i mean, imagine idols creating scripts for these shows, i guess with the amount of workshops we go, we could come up with very interesting and different plots.” he let his imagination fly; it wasn’t the first time he thought about it, how some of his fellow idols had brilliant ideas that normally would be dismissed just because they were idols.

he gave a thought on what she spoke lastly, and she was right. being genuine was valid, but also having people who trusted their instincts, the idea, and didn’t think about closed-minded people, but what changes they could make, with something as simple as a...dating tv show. 

“would you ever go on one of those if they asked you? if they wanted a dating show with idols, would you take part of it?”

[lgchyuk]

✉︎ ❌

today is one of those days that i find myself missing you. it’s not that we haven’t talked to each other for a long time, surprisingly, you were the steadiest relationship i had, even if we are currently separated. i wish you were here so we could talk more, i miss using your studio to create my own music and find comfort there. there aren’t many places around this new reality i’m living in that i feel completely safe, but knowing your studio had its doors opened for me was a relief.

i wish you’d write me more. i know you’re also living a new reality, and i can say i’m proud of you. i’m also selfish because i can’t openly tell you this, because i miss you a lot, and i don’t wanna put this burden on your shoulders.

so this is one of those unsent letters, one i’m just keeping it to myself, in order to relief some of the stress.

things are good. everything is new, i know some people, but somehow they all have a new layer of paint on them. like they’re all wearing masks. should i wear one as well? i guess so.

i hope we talk again soon.

see ya.

[cherrylgc]

choose and lose

cherry almost had to admit to defeat, seven seasons of the adventures of kim cherry, and she was running out of ideas, or well, not ideas but good ideas. sure there were lots of things she hadn’t tried before, but she needed something that was fun in front of the cameras as well, to the rescue her viewers had come though. in the last episode of season six, she’d asked them for ideas in the comment section, and the viewers had not disappointed.

the blonde walks into the camera, wide and bright smile sitting on her lips, “hello everyone! and welcome to the adventures of kim cherry! i am cherry, your host, who of course, cherish you all” she bows a bit. “today, i am having a very special guest join us… and i am truly amazed that he’s been able to join me for today’s episode” she continues smiling.

“please walk into frame and introduce you, our special special guest!”.

written for... @lgchyuk

[lgchyuk]

everything was new to hyuk, ever since he got his chance to debut in a group. not that he wasn’t expecting things to change, and opportunities to show, but they still surprised him whenever he was called by the manager to be informed that he got a new job opportunity to represent mzsd.

he was scheduled to be a guest on Kim Cherry’s channel, and hyuk was beyond excited about this event. he didn’t think he’d be put on some kind of variety show, considering his latest workshops about it, but it was perhaps a chance for him to show some growth and open another segment on his career, other than his expected idol skills.

when it was given to him a cue for an introduction, hyuk didn’t waste any time, immediately greeting whoever was going to watch them in the future with a bright smile, “hello everyone! i’m so happy to be joining you! i am park hyukjae, but i’m sure you know me by mzsd’s hyuk! thank you so much cherry sunbaenin for having me here today, and i’m so excited about everything you have planned for me! please don’t hold back, i’m ready for everything!”(52)

[lgchyuk]

better than the movies

ft. @lgcxmimi

“i feel very old now, since i had no idea they had one of these here.” hyuk said ashe closed the private cabin’s door behind him, holding a tray with popcorn, a bottle of soju, a large cup of strawberry milkshake, and rice cakes. in front of him, emi was comfortably sitting in one of the couches, waiting for him.

when she told him there was this place in hongdae that the owners turned their karaoke boxes into private movie theaters, hyuk thought that would be a great place to visit and to have some rest. it surprised him when she hinted she could show him the place - as long as he paid for everything (as if he would let a girl pay for it, please).

“i know you wanted me to pay for everything so you could pick the movie. please choose wisely.”

[lgcxmimi]

"you are."

she's only half-teasing, biting back a bit of laughter, watching him, faintly being reminded of old times. it had been a while since they had hung out-- really hung out, at least like this. between training, him being an idol(she was proud of him), and just life, it had been a long time coming. but it was nice to get away from it all and just relax, for once. dark eyes are looking over at him as he sits, and she hums as she grabs the remote, laughing a bit at his offer.

"ah, should i got for a horror? or maybe something a bit more classic. i heard there's this new drama that just came out. may we can watch that?" she offers, looking over at him.

[lgchyuk]

“as if you didn’t like old men”, hyuk stuck out his tongue in a teasing way and laughed, as he sat beside emi, getting comfortable when he took off his shoes and crossed his legs, butterfly style.

it was nice to get comfortable with someone he was familiar with, even if things looked a little rough between them, at least that was hyuk’s perspective. he wanted to ask her about a few things, but wasn’t sure if that would be a good moment, maybe later, or if things took a different route than two exes hanging out.

“you must really hate me if you wanna pick the horror movie or drama”, he sighed, making a disgusted face. “you know i hate those, but go ahead, you’ll probably hear me screaming. please. no videos. i have a reputation to keep.” he snickered.

[lgcxjasper]

red strings of fate were dumb, or at least, that was something he had always thought about them before. he didn't believe in coincidences, either, ironically. but the fact that once again, he and hyuk were meeting-- first across the pond, then with jasper turning up in the company, and now, in a funny twist of fate-- in the same group. well-- maybe there weren't small things such as coincidences after all. it seemed a bit too good to be true.

"ah, i think crazy would be a relief." he offers, wide grin before his head is tilting back in laughter. "mm we do need a happy bean. i think that's perfectly where you fit. you shouldn't have to change yourself-- please, don't." he murmurs, swallowing a bit before he's sighing once more.

he listens, too. each worry he feels at the edge of hyuk's voice, but he didn't have all the answers-- some things jasper was figuring out. "you'll have people that like you-- and people that down. i don't... think we're immune to any of that, i'm afraid. but you shouldn't listen to them. there's a reason you're here."

[lgchyuk]

“crazy is good, you were pretty wild back in the days.” hyunk found himself chuckling at the memories of the two of them meeting, and then having the absolute great time in london. “i think i still have a certain video of you at a certain bar being a bless to my eyes”, he teased jasper, bumping their knees together.

it was good to feel that way again, to have someone he knew for some time in the same group. not that hyuk was scared he was going to feel like a lonely wolf once he got to debut, but to have someone he knew was definitely a bonus.

“well babe, i will trust you as my leader. i’ll work my best to not disappoint our public and our group. i just don’t wanna make a fool of myself, can you please put me on a leash if i do it?” there was a pout on his lips and some teasing in his voice, and even hyuk couldn’t help but laugh after some time, “please don’t think obscene things...”

[lgcjino]

jino wheezed out; a grunt, a chuckle, something between the two. the muscles had grown numb from the weight that was causing catastrophic muscle rippling across his bicep, maybe another pump and it’ll go pop! an avid runner, gym-rat and all-round workout junkie, jino breathed easier in the gym, that is until it came to increasing his weights. doing the easy 55 lb wasn’t cutting it and his trainer had told him it was time to up the weight, and jino abhorred the idea of it.

if his labored breathing wasn’t indication enough, the beads of sweat that had collected on his brow that had begun to roll to his chin surely proved the strain. the concentration between curling his arm upwards and not outright dropping the barbell and injuring himself had taken him right out of his self — completely oblivious that he had been joined by someone else in the otherwise empty room. he hadn’t even realized that his grunts had gotten louder with each pained curl of the barbell to his chest. 

“oh,” thank heavens— a break! hearing the voice from behind, jino takes it as a sign from god — a blessing, really — that it was okay to stop for a bit. shaking out his arms, jino turned to greet the newcomer. “damn, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” the same could be said about jino but, well — “didn’t think i’d see you in the gym so soon. must be that new year’s resolution kickin’ in, eh?” jino chuckled, tapping a foot against the barbells that had settled onto the mat beneath his feet.

[lgchyuk]

hyuk’s first reaction was to stare, and not for the obvious reason: he stared because…was this man flirting with him? before he could do it? he almost smiled at the thought, but right now he was probably just too surprised to actually say something.

instead, hyuk got closer, thankful that jino stopped exercising because he could use that as an excuse as well. “well thank you”, he gave the other man a smile, as he sat on the floor, in front of jino. he was used to that scenario, talking and hanging out, so much better than sweating for all the wrong reasons. 

“well, i’m a new man now”, even the words sounded fake when hyuk spoke, and he finally laughed, shaking his head. “guess i just have to build up some stamina to endure idol life, you know. i don’t wanna look sloppy on camera. how about you? you certainly don’t need it, you look damn fine.”

[lgchyuk]

polaroid love, solo; wc: 337 reference: 4-cut picture set side event 026 (love month)

hyuk was still smiling after he learned about their task with that sponsor. take pictures, especially selcas, was one of his hobbies, and since he became a trainee, he never had any trouble feeding the legacy social media with his pictures.

but this was something different and special - this time he was an idol, someone with an image to keep, a message to send, a group to honor. everything should be special and detailed, should stand out from every other, or at least be remarkable.

maybe that was the reason why he was stressing out so much when one of the staff asked him if he was ready to shoot and knew his poses already. he froze, hands sweating, and a weird bitter taste in his mouth, which he was so sure was reflecting in his face.

“can i practice some more?” he asked, followed by a bow, and an apologetic face, which he expected the staff to understand. their response was an understanding sigh and nod - they probably had that reaction from a lot of people - followed by another idol’s name being called after hyuk’s.

moving to a corner, far from the staff’s commotion and work, hyuk thought more about the concept they wanted to cover and how he could make it good. after thinking a lot, the obvious was the safest and best, in the end. perhaps it wouldn’t suit his style 100%, but it was still fresh, entertaining, and could suit mzsd’s aura.

“i’m ready whenever you can have me”, he informed one of the staff members responsible for the shooting, holding a fluffy blue sweater in one of his arms as he waited for his turn.

“you’re gonna change into that?” the staff asked hyuk, and for a moment he thought if they were going to say something bad about his outfit pick, so he just nodded slowly. then, they just smiled, giving hyuk an unknown booster of confidence he didn’t know he needed until now. “it’ll look good on you. let’s go.”

[lgcjisoo]

jisoo smiles widely, canines visible when he's acknowledged, though the cough wasn't intentionally placed. dry throat. "wasn't even aware there was one. seems like i missed out my opportunity as a model," yet again, he says without saying the last bit aloud. he'd honestly been scoping out some hotels in general to see which would be the best, for the next time he needed to go out of town for filming. "here for business purposes. i guess."

it's been a long time since he's actually been around hyuk, from his foggy memory. often they were too busy with their own schedules that never overlapped.

"why would you have to hate me if i was involved with that shoot though?" he raised his brow at hyuk, curious. he'd hate to pry but it'd be difficult not to with how the idol started the conversation. "do you have something against models? or actors?" jisoo teases, though he hopes its not the actual reason why. there could be some sort of assumption of different treatment and prestige among idols and actors and models, but after drabbling in all three, jisoo felt that each career had their own perks and freedoms.

[lgchyuk]

hyuk was immediately thrown back with jisoo's reply, but then he had the worst habit of thinking people would recognize him outside the legacy walls, recognize the ceo heir instead of the recently promoted trainee to idol; he almost slapped his forehead for that.

"Yeah, they're having some big important shooting no one wants to talk about or give details, and apparently I can't use the common areas, like the heated pool, for example", his tone was acid, and even if jisoo had nothing to do with that inconvenience, hyuk was still bitter about it.

A spoiled brat, as someone like rowon would call him anytime he heard his pointless complaints.

“i have nothing against actors or models, my best friend is an actor”, he giggled, some of his tension leaving his shoulders - slower than he intended, but it was good at least. “Especially if they’re cute. you’re cute.” 

and hyuk was shameless; he knew that. but hey, he was also human, and wouldn’t let that chance slip. after all, that was just a compliment, an innocent one.

but then hyuk remembered something jisoo said, something that he could help. “you said you’re here for business, but not for this shooting. is it a meeting of some sort? maybe i could help you out?”

[lgceunhye]

over the past several months, eunhye’s variety show appearances had dwindled quite a bit compared to her early idol days when she would jump at every chance to be on a show. at first she did it more so to take a break from having so much of her personality being shown on screen, but over time she was starting to see the slight changes in terms of variety shows and how she missed the type of shows she had grown up with. 

one type of show she’s seen more often than in the past were dating shows and while eunhye hasn’t watched a full season, she’s seen clips here and there online to understand possible trends or memes. as she spent the last ten minutes remembering all of the contestants’ names and understanding their dynamics, her thoughts subsided instantly when she heard a voice.

turning to see who it was, eunhye responded lightheartedly, “well i can’t quite decide yet since i just learned everyone’s names and faces. i haven’t figured out how messy this love triangle…or whatever shape it is right now, but i guess that’s one of the reasons people find it entertaining. other than the fact that it has attractive people.” she paused, looking at the screen momentarily and spotting someone who she remembered having a crush on another person. “i’m guessing that you’re not a fan of such shows?” she assumed that based on his reaction, but there’s a part of her that is curious to know why. “if you aren’t, then what kind of variety shows do you like?”

[lgchyuk]

she must have been sitting there for a long time, if she’s able to learn names and faces that fast, hyuk wondered as he heard eunhye’s words. but then again, she was an idol, and there were probably tricks they learned to memorize stuff that fast - just look at them learning so many steps and lyrics all at once in a short amount of time. 

“certainly good for the eyes, you’re right”, he glanced briefly from her to the shirtless view of a guy who clearly tried to impress a female character, who looked like she wanted nothing more than just be somewhere else; hyuk smirked at the sight. “but i feel we, as in korea, are still afraid to spice things up some more.” he shrugged, turning his attention to the idol beside him.

it was inevitable for hyuk to act that way, to taunt people, or tease them, to get a more realistic answer, other than the protocol industry reply, one they’re sure to give to the world. it always sounded fake in his ears, and even if he knew they should sometimes keep their opinion to themselves, it always left a bitter taste in his lips.

“i do like reality tv, but i think for example, producers could leave the door open if a guy wanted to court another one, or if a lady wanted to do the same to another girl. it’d be interesting, don’t you think?”

[lgchyuk]

poking jasper’s hand a little, just to make himself more present, hyuk listened to what he said. it was incredible how they hardly had those types of conversations, considering their history; in a way, it was nice to know what really went on inside the man’s head. 

raising an eyebrow, he pouted for a second, before he could add with a tease, apparently, there was no way a hyuk conversation would go without a flirtatious line from him. “oh please”, he started, charmingly, “you, of all people, should know how much i love to have my head blown up”.

a heavy sigh escaped his lips, when the reality of dealing with their fans and how much his life was going to change after he got the official news of a debut, was on focus again. he still had doubts, but it was good to have someone he was familiar with beside him; hyuk knew there were bridges to build with the other members, but everything weighted less. “are you sure? i mean, i hope they do.”

[lgcxjasper]

it seemed to come in full circle. jasper hadn't been debuted long, it still felt like yesterday, really. and yet, here he was, with hyuk again after some time. instead, of course, them being london this time, with hyuk teaching him more about himself than hyuk even realized, it was the exact opposite. jasper was teaching him-- the ways of being in mzsd, being by his side, not only as a friend, by as a leader. jasper doesn't believe in coincidences.... but he finds that pretty hard to come by.

hyuk's words made him grin, lazily, shaking his head with an eye roll that had always quickly become his signature around the other. "and that's exactly why i'm where i am to keep you in line." he speaks lowly, but there's an edge of teasing there, like always. he hums a bit at the question, brow furrowing. "why wouldn't they? this... doesn't sound like hyuk i know."

[lgchyuk]

there was this feeling of closeness between them when two friends just shared too much, and they had so many inside jokes that everyone else in the room would just stare at them for a while, trying to learn about whatever they meant. hyuk liked that feeling; he normally didn’t have many close friends, ones he could really share things with, but he was glad jasper was one of them.

“boo, don’t rain on my parade. even our leader should go crazy one day”, and to prove his point, he threw his arms up, shaking them in a ridiculous self-made choreography.  “i’ll make our days brighter, trust me.”

hyuk didn’t want to make things heavy, to show his worries, but jasper was asking, and he didn’t feel like lying to him. after all, honesty was always something hyuk took pride of. “you know, to debut was something i took for granted for a long time. i guess that’s why it took me forever to debut. and i learned my lesson, i realized that i really loved this, really wanted this. so, it feels weird now, you know. i’m afraid that people won’t like me, that i won’t be good enough for this path. am i being stupid?”